Following his nation’s announcement on Jan. 15 that it would be severing diplomatic relations with Taipei and recognizing Beijing under the one-China principle, Nauru Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Lionel Aingimea flew to Beijing to sign on Jan. 24 a communiqué on the resumption of diplomatic ties between the two nations.
Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi said at his meeting with Aingimea that the two nations will have relations based on equality, mutual respect, openness and inclusivity.
Over the weekend, The Australian reported that Tuvalu’s ambassador in Taipei said that the election taking place this week could result in Tuvalu being the next nation to switch its diplomatic relations from Taipei to Beijing. Ambassador Bikinibeu Paeniu told The Weekend Australian in an interview that “Rumors now are going that [Tuvalu] will follow suit.”
Like Nauru, Tuvalu is an island nation in the Pacific.
Nauru’s departure from Taiwan’s diplomatic sphere leaves the self-governing island with just 12 diplomatic allies.
